A food laboratory driven by high-end technology is to be set up at Margao in Goa. The lab is going to be run by the Export Inspection Agency (EIA) and will be located at Margao’s South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) market complex. On Friday the site was inspected by the senior officials of the EIA as well as officials from the directorate of food and drugs administration (FDA) and SGPDA, minister for a town and country planning (TCP) Vijai Sardesai.
Post the completion of an inspection, Sardesai said that the lab was to be set up in Mapusa originally but was moved to Margao as there was a strong scare of fish fertilized by formalin in the former town. The cost of the laboratory is going to be Rs.15 crore and will be spread across 500 square metres.
The lab will be equipped with technology which will be able to conduct tests on various food items like fruits, meat and most things except fish.
The EIA officials are working hard to set up the lab in Goa and making it efficient enough to maintain the high level of food standards said Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane.
Commenting further on the laboratory, Sanu Jacob, Joint Director of EIA told that it would take six months for the lab to come into function keeping in mind obtaining essential approvals from various authorities. While these documents are in place, the EIA has time to run confirmatory tests and analysis on the samples given by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).